Korn enter Billboard album chart at #1 with "Issues" sales of 573,785
Korn, one of rock's most explosive and defining bands, enter the Billboard "Top 200 Albums" chart at #1 next week with their new CD Issues. Topping sales of 573,785, this marks the second time the band have entered the chart at #1--the first was with their triple platinum FOLLOW THE LEADER in August of 1998, only 15 months ago.
This excitement concludes a week of high visibility for Korn which culminated with Korn's only U.S. at Tower Records/Northridge (in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley) on November 21. Over 2,000 fans came out for this special event which featured bagpipe players and circus performers. In order to accommodate all in attendance, the band -- Jonathan (vocals, bagpipes), Munky (guitars), Head (guitars), Fieldy (bass), David (drums)--signed CDs and met with fans for seven hours.
The in-store was hosted by Issues cover art contest winner Alfredo Carlos, who was presented with a plaque from the band in honor of his entry, which was chosen from over 20,000 fan submissions to appear on the cover of Issues. As part of the contest, the Southern California-based Alfredo also received a $10,000 prize and appeared with the band on MTV's "Total Request Live." In addition, three additional finalists were chosen for limited edition covers of the album.
On the other side of the country, Korn performed a landmark sold-out show at The Apollo Theatre in Harlem on the eve of Issues' November 16 release. At a press conference the following day, the band announced a nine-week U.S. tour set to kick off in mid-February.
At the sold-out Apollo show -- which marked the first-ever rock concert at this historic venue -- Korn world premiered Issues in its entirety and in sequence with a live global broadcast via radio, satellite and the Internet. The band were joined onstage by the Pipes & Drums of the NYPD Emerald Society and a choir, conducted by acclaimed musical director Richard Gibbs (who has composed music for films such as "Dr. Doolittle" and "Say Anything" and has worked with Robert Palmer, Chaka Khan and Aretha Franklin). The set list of course included the current single, "Falling Away From Me," which is currently bulleted at #11 in its third week on the Billboard Modern Rock chart and holds the #15 spot on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Of the group's intense live performance, Devin Gordon of noted: "...for one blistering, bizarre hour at the Apollo, rock and roll ruled the roost."
In other news, Korn's video for "Freak On A Leash" (from FOLLOW THE LEADER) recently received the award for "Best Hard Rock Clip" at the Billboard Music Video Awards. This follows the two MTV Video Music Awards "Freak On A Leash" received, including "Best Rock Video."
Stay tuned for tour dates to be announced soon...
